With its August recess approaching, Congress is working feverishly with the White House to achieve any accomplishments to show for their “work” ahead of this year's midterm elections.
Here's what we're keeping our eyes on from Capitol Hill:
National Defense Authorization Act Up for Reauthorization
The annual task of Congress to approve the nation's defense budget is being taken up for a final vote this week. The legislation funds the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2023.
The bill originated in the Senate, where the two senators who crafted it – Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Republican Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma – issued an emotional statement after it passed the Senate Armed Services Committee, in which Inhofe shared the following sentiment:
“The Senate Armed Services Committee just took a critical next step toward enacting a National Defense Authorization Act for the 62nd year in a row. This markup was bittersweet, because it's my last after 27 years as a member of this committee. As this committee has always done for as long as I can remember, we came together in a bipartisan way to build a strong bill. We were able to strengthen national security in the face of unprecedented threats, including from China and Russia, and take care of our troops and their families, who sacrifice so much. It's not the bill I would have written on my own, but it's a good bill that deserves, and has rightfully earned, broad support.”
One of the House amendments to the NDAA was proposed by Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas), who wants to get rid of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members.
Congress members have proposed more than 1,200 amendments to this year's NDAA. Observers expect less than half will make it into the final version of the bill. The House voted on 476 amendments last year.
The House will vote on H.R. 7900 – the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 – this week, most likely Wednesday. After passing the House, the bill will then enter a conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions.
Biden's Next Gun Control Agenda Move
In a late vote before the two-week July recess, members of Congress steamrolled the rights of law-abiding firearms owners by passing the biggest gun control bill in decades. Among other things, it requires more gun sellers to register as federally licensed firearms dealers and more rigorous background checks.
Biden signed Congress' gun bill into law without much fanfare at the White House before he departed for the G7 summit.
The Senate is now poised to confirm Steven Dettelbach as the next ATF director. Once Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) indicated support for Dettelbach, his nomination was all but guaranteed.
However, the vote may be delayed as Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tested positive for coronavirus and another Democrat Senator is recovering from hip surgery.
Nevertheless, Dettelbach may still be confirmed on time as he is rumored to have some Republican support.
Members of Congress Slated to Speak at Young Republican Leadership Conference
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) are on the list of speakers slated for this weekend's Young Republican Leadership Conference.
Notably, the event isn't being supported by the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF) as one would assume to be proper. It is being promoted on Young Republicans (YR) social media channels run by YRsRun Inc., a 501(c)(4) nonprofit registered in Pennsylvania.
Out of the three social media links included on the YRs Run website, the Instagram link was inactive, the Facebook link goes to a page in the Thai language and the Twitter account hasn't been updated in a month. Meanwhile, the official YRNF social media accounts have been promoting the conference as their own despite the fact that YRNF isn't hosting the event.
The conference will take place across the Potomac from Washington, D.C., at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City – but notably, neither D.C. Young Republicans Chair Maria Giannopolous nor Virginia Young Republicans Chairman Jessi Blakely are serving on the planning or host committees for this year's event.
The D.C. Young Republicans' leader previously released this statement about the event.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
ID the RINOs